SAN FRANCISCO — Philip Low, a seasoned neuroscientist and Silicon Valley entrepreneur, recently shared a stark warning for President Donald Trump regarding Elon Musk: "He doesn’t really move on." Low, who famously ousted Musk from the advisory board of his startup, claims that the tech mogul harbors grudges and pursues dominance relentlessly.

In a detailed interview, Low described his former ally as obsessive and vindictive, a portrait that emerged starkly following their fallout. The rift was exacerbated when Low accused Musk of inappropriate behavior at a Trump event, an accusation Musk dismissed publicly. Low believes that Musk, despite superficial reconciliations, remains a silent adversary of those he feels wronged by.

This insight comes amid Musk's highly publicized falling out with Trump, which saw Musk vehemently opposing a significant legislative proposal from Trump via harsh and frequent posts on social media platforms he owns. The conflict, filled with threats and insults, peaked when Trump hinted at severing government contracts with Musk's enterprises, Tesla and SpaceX.

Though both parties appeared to reconcile publicly, with Musk apologizing for his outbursts and Trump maintaining strategic partnerships like Starlink internet, Low remains skeptical. He views any peace between Musk and Trump as purely transactional, suggesting that Musk's recent political maneuvers, including significant donations to Trump's MAGA movement, are strategic rather than genuine.

Low, who has known Musk since the early 2010s, reflects on their initial partnership and Musk's investment in his company, NeuroVigil. He recalls Musk's early advisory role and subsequent falling out, which culminated in Low firing Musk to prevent him from leveraging stock options against NeuroVigil. This action, according to Low, marked the beginning of a deep-seated animosity that has influenced Musk's interactions and decisions ever since.

Despite the personal and public conflicts, Musk continues to be a significant figure in both the tech and political arenas, recently curtailing his political contributions but not withdrawing entirely. Low speculates that Musk's reduced political spending might still conceal a readiness to strike out against perceived threats or adversaries, including Trump.

As for Trump, Low advises caution and perhaps a more moderate approach to policy that could neutralize some of Musk's influence. He suggests that Trump could mitigate potential political threats from Musk by adopting stances that align more closely with the tech mogul's policy preferences, particularly on issues like immigration which affect Silicon Valley's talent pool and competitiveness in global technology markets.

Low's warnings highlight the complex, often contentious dynamics of high-stakes relationships in the intersecting worlds of technology and politics, where alliances are as changeable as the technologies that fuel them.